In 1832 during
the Black Hawk War our town became fortified with U.S. Troops. Chief
Black Hawk looked from one side of the main river in our watershed
to the other, saw the troops and did not attack. Soon after that in
a nearby town a treaty was agreed upon. This is a picture of Chief
Blackhawk and another of where the 'Block House' for the troops stood.
By 1845 our town was the
most important commercial point north of St. Louis on the 'great water
highway.' Sources vary in the numbers given, but in the mid-1850's
the town population had grown to between 8,000 and 15,000. There were
as many as 18 steamboats anchored at the levee at a time. All steamers
traveling on the 'great water highway' came to our town. It was a
prosperous town.
Many
buildings from that time are still standing in the hills and valleys of
this unglaciated area. This river has been over 300 feet wide. This made
it possible for the steamboat traffic. The picture of the steamboat shows
how large the steamboats were. Some of the buildings in the picture with
the steamboat are still in use. This early picture of our town is now
in the office of our local newspaper. The aerial photo shows how narrow
the river has become. Many of the buildings in the modern photo were built
in the 1800's.
Watershed
Atlas
Many
buildings from that time are still standing in the hills and valleys of
this unglaciated area. This river has been over 300 feet wide. This made
it possible for the steamboat traffic. The picture of the steamboat shows
how large the steamboats were. Some of the buildings in the picture with
the steamboat are still in use. This early picture of our town is now
in the office of our local newspaper. The aerial photo shows how narrow
the river has become. Many of the buildings in the modern photo were built
in the 1800's. 
